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From: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Censored NFB BBS proposal
Message-ID: <16517@handicap.news>
Date: 28 Jun 91 14:38:41 GMT
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Index Number: 16517

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Since David Andrews has announced plans to operate an electronic
bulletin board system officially sponsored by the National Federation
of the Blind, I thought BlinkTalkers might be interested that two and a
half years ago, while I was a hardworking Federationist, I proposed
such a system in a written document which I sent to President Marc
Maurer, Curtis Chong, President of the NFB in Computer Science, Jim
Willows, Chair of the NFB Committee on the Evaluation of Technology,
and Tim Cranmer, Chair of the NFB Research and Development Committee.
Mr. Maurer was unresponsive, not even returning a reply to the proposal
I had obviously spent some time and effort in preparing.  Mr. Chong
said he would print it in the newsletter of the NFB in Computer
Science, but then never did and never gave me an explanation for the
change of mind.  I don't know if Mr. Andrews actually read the
proposal, but I talked with him about it by phone and net mail and he
was supportive.

At that time, I did not know of the BlinkLink BBS.  If it had started,
I think that at least the BlinkTalk echo had not or was young (perhaps
our moderator can remind us of the beginning dates).  Since learning of
BlinkLink and then the BlinkTalk echo, I stopped pushing the proposal
because it seemed that that much of the benefits would be realized by
these developments and the committment I saw to these ideals in the
founder and moderator, Willie Wilson.  The VIBUG BBS has always been a
solid contribution, I am speaking as Don Breda, our local sysop does,
of the tremdndous committment of time, energy, and spirit our friend
Willie has given to telecommunications for blind people on a national
and international scale.

I am glad that the NFB national office has finally recognized the
significance of this medium of information and communication for blind
people.  I believe that David Andrews will be a capable sysop and
encourage him to participate with that BBS in the free spirit of blind
people exchanging information, opinions, and experiences in their own
voices.  After the BBS joins BlinkTalk as undoubtedly it would in this
telecommunications spirit, perhaps we may then speak directly with Mr.
Maurer and Dr. Jernigan over the network.

Wither the moderator's permission, the following five messages post the
censored proposal exactly as it was wrtten in January 1989.

--Jamal Mazrui--

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